As an international development practitioner, Matthew Bravo has worked extensively in rural community development in Africa and South America. By building reciprocal partnerships with NGOs, universities, government agencies, and community leaders, he has engaged in numerous community initiatives focusing on women’s empowerment, sustainable farming, HIV/AIDS prevention, social entrepreneurship, and social movements. Currently, Bravo is approaching international development through an academic lens by pursuing a Ph.D. in the Sociology of Development at the University of Colorado-Boulder. His research primarily focuses on the intersection between development, cultural identity, gender, and globalization.